Dry-pipe valve.



` No. Mme?.

. PATENTBD OCTLB, 1903.A

R E., BI-

DRY PEP-E VALVE.

APPLIOATIOI Hun-n- AAPR. 1?. 1901.

NQ MGDBL.

I tion of dry-pipe valve and to combine a maxi- NHTED ASTirrns PATENT Patented october e, 196e,

Fries.

DRY-PIPEv VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 74,467, dated October 6, 1903.

Application 'ned April 17. 1901.

' in the county of `Cool: and State of Illinois,

have invented certainV new and useful Improveniente in Dry-Pipe Valves, (Oase No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. Y

My invention relates to dry-pi pe valves for use in connection with automatic sprinkler systems, stand-pipes, dac. y

Prominent objects of the invention are to provide a simple and inexpensive construcmum efficiency with a simplicity of construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a vertical section of a dry-pipe valve embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sec-- tion of the same, tal-:en on line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

The dry-pipe Valve illustrated in the drawings for carrying out my invention involves a casing A, desirably constructed with aside portion or extension 1.v The casing A is provided with an inlet 2 and an outlet 3, which are understood to be connected, the inlet 2 with the water-supply and the outlet 3 with the compressed-air pipes of the system. The inlet 2 and outlet 3 are arranged opposite to or in alinement with one another and at the; side of the extension or enlargement l. The/ casing is also provided with a partition 4,.

which forms the interior of the enlargement. l into a supplemental chamberB at one side of the waterway O. The partition 4i 'is pro-y vided with a port 5, aording communicationA between the chamber B and waterway O. A duct 6 extends between the interior of "the outlet 3 and the chamber B, thereby affording communication between said chamber and the system. The inlet 2 is provided with a valve 7, which I shall term the inlet or water-supply valve, and the port 5 is provided with afvalve 8, which I shall term the system on pressure valve.

The valves 7 and 8 are carried by a swinging lever-arm 9, which is pivoted at 10 to the casing, the valve 7 being pivotally connected to the horizontal portion of the arm 9 and the.

, valve 8 being pivotally connected to the outer sein No. 5am. on midi-,1.)

end of the same. The valve 7 thus controls the water-suppl y, and the valve 8 receives the pressure of the system by reason of the communication which the duct 6 establishes between the system and the chamber B, the pressure of the system upon the valve 8 thus serving to retain the valve 7 closed and maintain the device in its normal condition. The valve 7 is desirably smaller than the valve S,.and the distance between the pivot 10 and the point of connection of the valve 7 is desirably less than the distance between ,the pivot 10 and the point of connection of the valve 8 with the lever-arm 9; In the arrangement shown in the drawings the valve 7 is half the diameter of the valve S and the lever-arm ot' the valve 7 is half the length of the lever-arm of the valve S. By this arrangement the forces exerted upon the valves 8 and 7 to balance them are as eight to one,A or, as is commonly said, the dry-pipe valve basa diierefntialoteight to one.

y ThE-outlet' 3 is providdvith a valve 1l, carried by-a swinging arm 12, pivoted to the casing A at 13. The valve Il thus closes the chamber C from the system. 'Ihe outlet 3 is alsoprovided with a drain-pipe 14E. In the employment of my dry-pipe valve I preferably ll the chamber B with water and also pour water into the outlet 3 until it Hows out of the drain 14C. In the operation of the valve the pressure of the system exerted upon the water in the chamber B by way of the port or passage 6 serves to retain the valve 8 against its seat, andY thus maintain the valve 7 in a closed condition. VAt the same time the valve l1 is maintained in a closed condition bythe pressure of the system upon the water in the is reduced, the pressure upon the water in the lchamber B will be correspondingly reduced;l

.9O l youtlet 3. When the pressure in the system?k 95 force the valve 8 into the chamberB, there, 5

by opening the valve 7 andpermitting the'l water from the water-supply to rush into the waterway C. From the waterway it passes into the outlet 3, forcing the valve 11 open in its onward rush, and from the outlet 3 into vthe system. The small aperture 25 in the lever 9 is to allow the insertion of the point of a tool, which is introduced-into the waterkal way C through the aperture normally occupied by the removable plug 21, this plug being removed for this purpose when desired. The tool engaging the lever 9 is used to draw the valve 8 to its seat 5, and then strain is put upon it to cause it to hold the valve tightly against its seat while the water and air systems are being properly filled and put under pressure. This permits the use of the valve in a vertical manner, as shown in Fig. 1, by which arrangement the water can pass directly from the vertical water-pipe to the vertical system-pipe without any deflection of its course. It will be seen that by my invention I providea straight waterway, so that the water in passing through the valve moves in a straight line from the inlet to the outlet. It will also be seen that the invention makes it possible to have a differential-valve arrangement as well as a straight waterway and that in such diliferential arrangement the air or pressure valve is outside of the waterway, being desirably at right angles to the watervalve and in a supplementall chamber situated at one side of the waterway It will be further seen that both the water and differential valves are water-scaled, which is very desirable in valves of this class` because a less tight joint is required in a water-sealed valve than for one intended to keep out air. It will furthermore be seen that the device can be used interchangeably as either a wet or dry pipe vaflve upon wet or dry systems and also that in 'case of a water-hammer being formed in the system the valve will not be closed, but will be held open by such waterhammer.

As to further poi nts of construction means ates an alarm will be given. As a simple ar- I rangement the spindle 13 of the arm 12, carrying the valve 11, is extended out of the far side of the casing A and provided with an arm 15, carrying a contact 15a. Contact-jaws 16 1G are provided on the side of the casing A, so that when the valve 1l is swung upwardly an alarm-circuit will be closed. As a desired arrangement the valve is provided with a drain 17, communicating with the lower end of the Waterway C. This drain is provided with a check-valve D, which is desirably constructed as shown in the drawings. This construction involves a valve-casing 1S, having a concave bottom, a pair of oppositely-arranged valve-seats 19 19 at the ends of the concave bottom 18, and a ball-valve 20, arranged within the valve-casing. A small amount of liquid can low from the waterway C through the valve, the ball 20 at such times remaining upon its concave bottom. When, however, the amount of liquid tending to pass through the valve becomes large, the ball 2O is forced against one of the valve-seats 19 19, thereby closing the valve against such large quantity of liquid. This valve, it will be seen, operates with equal efficiency no matter which way the liquid tends to flowthat is to say, whether the large discharge tends to come from the waterway C of the dry-pipe valve or whether it tends to come from some external source through the drain-pipe 17.

It will be seen that by having the valve D constructed so as to permit its being closed in both directions backward flow into the waterway C is prevented. It will be understood that the outlet or drain pipe 17 is usually connected with a sewer, and any rising in this is likely to cause a backtlow into the dry-pipe valve. ed by the valve D shown, this valve permitting the closure of the drain-pipe when any external pressure or liquid finds its Way into that pipe.

A test-faucet 21 is desirably provided, being conveniently attached -to the casing A near the top of the waterway C, this testfaucet being for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not water-pressure exists within thc waterway C. The casing A is desirably provided with hand-hole plates 22, 23, and 24, opening, respectively, into the chamber B, the outlet 3, and the waterway C. As a preferred construction for the valve 8 this valve is composed of metal portions a a and an intermediate layer or portion a2 of packing or other flexible material, which extends beyond the edges of the portions cto/,by which construction a flexible rim is provided for seating the valve more tightly and effectively against its seat. v

What I claim as myinvention is- 1. In a device of the class specified, the coinbina'tion of a straight waterway, an inletvalve controlling the inlet to the waterway, a pressure-valve subject to the pressure of the system on one side and to the pressure of the waterway on the other side, the inlet and pressure valves being of different size, and a pivotally-supported lever carrying the said valves and arranged lto-open the inlet-valve when the pressure of the system is reduced, substantially as set forth.

2. Inadevice of the class specified, the combination with a straight waterway, of an inlet- Valve controlling the inlet tothe waterway, a chamber arranged at one side of the waterway and communicating with lthe system, a valve controlling the port affording communication between the chamber and the waterway, the inlet-valve being smaller than the pressure-valve, and a pivotallysupported bent lever carrying the pressure-valve at the end of its bent portion and the inlet-valve at the end of its straight portion, the straight and bent portions being of unequal length, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class specified, a casing having an inlet and an outlet arranged opposite the inlet, and also having a partition separating one vpart of the interior of the casing from the other part so as to form a supplemental chamber, a passage connecting said supplemental chamber with the system, valves controlling the inlet and outlet, a valve This, it will be seen, will be prevent- ICC controlling a port in the said partition, and a lever-arm pivoted at one side of the inlet and carrying the inlet-valve and the valve controlling the port of the supplemental chamber, substantially as described.

4. Inadevice of the class specified, the combination of a casing having an inlet and an outlet arranged opposite one another, and also having a partition forming a supplemental chamber in the casing at one side of the inlet and outlet, a passage connecting said chamber with the interior of the outlet, valves controlling the inlet and outlet, a valve controlling a port in said partition, a bent lever pivoted at one side Vof the inlet, said lever carrying the inlet-valve, and the valve of the supplemental chamber, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class specified, comprising a casing A having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3, and also having a partition t provided with a port 5, and furthermore having a passage 6 connected with the interior of the outlet 3 and the chamber B formed by the partition 4, a valve 7 controlling the inlet-opening, a valve S controlling port 5, a bent leverarm 9 pivoted at one side of the inlet and carrying the valves .7 and 8 and a valve ll controlling the outlet-opening, substantially as set forth.

6. Inadevice of the class specified, the combination With the inlet and the supplemental chamber having ports arranged at an angle to one another, of valves 7 and S controlling said ports, and a bent lever 9 carrying said valves, substantially as described.

7. In a device ofthe class specified, the combination of a casing having a straight Waterway and a pressure-chamber at one side of the Waterway, and also having an aperture affording communication between the Water- Way and the exterior of the casing, valves controlling the waterway and pressure-chamber ports, mechanism controlling said valves, and means for engaging an instrument introduced into the Waterway through said aperture, to hold the valves in positionwhen the Waterway is arranged vertically, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a device of the class specified, the combination with a straight waterway, of an inlet-valve opening into the same, a pressurevalve subject to the pressure of the system, said pressure-valve being located Vat one side of the Waterway and arranged to open in a direction away from the same, and a lever connected with said valves, snbstantiall y as described..

9. In a device of the class specified, the com.-

bination With a straight waterway, of a presvalve into the pressure-chamber in a direc' tion away from the Waterway when the inletvalve is allowed to open by a reduction of the pressure of the system, substantially as described. A

lO. In a device of the class specified, the combination of a casing having a straight Waterway and a pressure-chamber at one side of the waterway, and also having an aperture affording communication between the Waterway and the exterior of the casing, valves controlling the waterway and pressure-chamber ports, mechanism controlling said valves, and means on said mechanism for engaging an instrument introduced into the Waterway through said aperture, to hold the valves in position when the Waterway is arranged vertically, substantially as described.

l1. In a device of the class specified, the combination of a casing having a straight Waterway and a pressure-chamber at one side of the Waterway, and also having a side opening for the insertion of an instrument into the interior of the casing, valves controlling the Waterway and pressure-chamber ports, and mechanism controlliu g said valves, substantially as described.

l2. A device of the class specified, having a straight Waterway, and also having a side aperture opening to the exterior, a valve controlling the Water-inlet to the waterway, a pressure-valve, a lever carrying and controlling said valves and having an aperture opposite the said exterior opening, whereby the lever can be engaged from the outside to hold the valves upon their seats when the waterway is in a vertical condition, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of April, A. D. 1901.

- FRANK H; RICE.

Witnesses: Y

A. M. BELFIELD, HERBERT T. OBERGFELL.

ICO 

